It Works for Us
by thegenuineimitation
Summary: [Drabbles] They know they make an odd trio, but they're happy the way things are. HP/PW/TN.
1. Chapter 1

**It Works For Us**

**Summary:** [Drabbles] They know they make an odd trio, but they're happy the way things are. HP/PW/TN.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

**Chapter One:** Killing Time One

* * *

Theo was bored. Harry was working late and Percy had barricaded himself in his office to write a lengthy editorial on the relative price of potions ingredients across Eastern Asia for _Potioneer's Monthly_.

He needed a new job he decided abruptly. This homemaking business was for people with more than two children and less than two house elves and neither condition applied to him. Harry's job as a hit-wizard meant that he worked odd hours and often had to travel and Percy's career as a freelance writer hadn't really taken off but was keeping him busy in his home office or out doing research in the field.

Theo didn't mind that his lovers were busy. They paid him plenty of attention when he was in the mood for companionship, and all but literally showered him with physical affection when he was in the mood for sex but the fact of the matter was that right now, Theo was bored.

"Perce," he whined, toeing open the door to the red-head's office, "I'm bored."

Percy looked up from his desk. His freckled hands were speckled with flecks of ink and he'd pushed his horn-rimmed glassed up on top of his head and was squinting down at a sheaf of papers filled with numbers and calculations in his small precise script.

"Hold it," he said eyes narrowing in Theo's general direction even though he could only make out a vague flesh colored blur, "This draft needs to be on its way to the Potion's Guild before dinner, so there will be absolutely no hanky-panky!"

"You know you are the only guy I know of who turns down sex for the sake of potions, and Snape was my head of house," sighed Theo.

Percy crossed his arms and scowled pointedly.

"Fine, fine," pouted Theo with an airy wave of his hand, "Be like that then, can I sleep in your lap?"

"As long as you're quiet and not in the way you can do whatever you like."

And so the two of them adjourned to the small couch and Percy enchanted his quill to take dictation in midair and carded an absent hand through his Slytherin lover's soft brown curls while the younger man slept.

* * *

**AN: **Done for the _Twice as much challenge_ on HPCF. Takes place after the end of DH but disregards the Epilogue. The plan is for it to be ten chapters, each chapter between 300 and 500 words. Let me know how you find it.


	2. Chapter 2

**It Works for Us**

**Chapter Two: Killing Time Two**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

Percy was crying quietly his arms wrapped around his torso as if he was in physical pain but Theo was strangely calm, composed. His mind was racing a mile a minute refusing to stop on the news that had been delivered to Nott Manor not a quarter of an hour previous.

Harry's handler, a nerdy looking witch with frazzled greying hair, had flooed in from Austria to tell them that Harry was—

Theo shook his head. There had to be a way, something, anything that could stop _that_ from being true. From being real. It was like one hundred of his very worst nightmares all rolled into one and he wasn't waking up.

"What is the matter with you?"

Theo started at the sudden angry hiss by his ear. It was Percy's sister. She'd been over for tea, delivering a tin of Mrs. Weasley's sweet homemade blackberry jam, because she'd made a batch a few days ago and knew it was Harry's favorite.

"Your lover is dead. Don't you care at all?"

Theo actually physically flinched away from her.

"Ginny that's enough," said Percy.

"No, Perce! Look at him! He's just heard that Harry is—and it's like he doesn't even care! Tell me Nott, did you even love him at all, or was he just a good lay? Do you even care about my brother?"

"How dare you." snarled Theo softly, "Get out."

"Gin, Theo—"

"Get out of my house!"

The wards rippled and Ginny was yanked from the room with a yelp, the ancestral house of the Nott family responding to its master's wishes.

"She's just upset," said Percy, catching Theo's arms and pulling him close and resting his forehead against the short man's, "She was in love with Harry for a long time. He means—meant a lot to her."

"Don't."

Theo pushed Percy away from him.

"Don't you dare talk like he's gone. We're getting him back. I don't care what I have to do to make it happen, Necromancy, the Black Arts, I will find Time and kill him myself if that's what it takes but Harry is not gone!"


	3. Chapter 3

**It Works For Us**

**Chapter Three: First Time One**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

"You'll like him Harry I promise," Hermione said fluttering around his room like a wing-clipped bird while he tucked in his shirt and shrugged into a sweater.

"He's a Slytherin from our year so I highly doubt that."

Really Harry just didn't have the heart to tell her that he had a casual sex thing going with her pompous glasses-wearing brother-in-law. Hermione had been very serious about trying to set him up with a good guy since he and Ginny had split up and he'd announced he was gay to the family.

"Come off it Harry, I'll bet you any money that you couldn't name one instance besides the Sorting where you remember Theodore Nott."

Harry wracked his brains.

"He's the quiet one right, smallish, curly brown hair?"

Hermione looked a bit taken aback.

"Yes, that's right. How…"

"I met him once. It was in fourth year when Ron and I were on the outs. I went into the library to look for you and accidentally woke him up from a History of Magic induced nap. He's got a wicked stinging hex on him."

"Well then that's excellent," said Hermione, looking eminently pleased with herself, "You'll have something to talk about at lunch. Remember the reservation is in my name, not Ron's."

"Technically speaking Mione, Weasley is your name now," Harry pointed out.

"Nott's not the only one with a half-decent stinging hex, now get going or you'll be late."

"Fine, fine. Don't get your knickers in a knot."

Harry dodged around her swat and made his way over to the fireplace, blowing her a teasing kiss over his shoulder.

"I'll call you tonight and tell you all the gory details."

"You'd better!"


	4. Chapter 4

**It Works for Us**

**Chapter Four: First Time Two**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

**Author's Note:** For those who are following this story, I've changed the rating to M for mentions of sexual situations. If that is not your cup of tea you can and probably should skip chapters 4 (That is this chapter), 6, and 10.

* * *

"I've never done this before," Percy admitted unbuttoning his shirt and tossing it over the back of a chair.

Harry shot the red-head an incredulous look.

"Like, never, never? As in, I am a virgin?"

"Well, not to put too fine a point on it but yes," Percy admitted, a hot flush creeping over his face and up the back of his neck all the way to the tips of his ears.

A true Weasley blush, it was, Harry had to admit, more than a little adorable.

"Do you want to back out on me?"

Percy swallowed thickly watching the candlelight play over the dips and hollows of Harry's naked torso. His jeans hung low on his hips, the button popped to reveal plain grey boxer briefs that left nothing to the imagination.

"No," he admitted reluctantly feeling the sympathetic throb in his own groin.

"Alrighty then," said Harry cheerily a wicked edge to his grin as he crossed Percy's bedroom in three steps and grabbed him by the belt loops, kissing him hard.

They fell, Percy landing heavily on top of Harry whose back was pressed into his soft blue duvet. A hot tongue tangled with his expertly as one capable hand buried itself into his hair and the other slid down his chest to tease at a nipple. Percy jerked in surprise at the jolt of pleasure that went racing along his nerves and the sudden movement pressed his groin briefly into Harry's. Harry moaned encouragingly into the kiss. Slender denim covered thighs fell languidly open and Percy pressed into the younger man more firmly enjoying the way Harry arched beneath his weight his large freckled hands curving around his rib cage and craving more skin on skin contact.

They broke away for a breath and Harry grinned up at him.

"There now, nothing to it. Apply lubrication charms generously and insert tab A into slot B."

"Mm," Percy popped the button on his trousers and ground down on Harry again, "I think I may need a practical lesson or three."

"That is absolutely, one-hundred percent, fine by me."

* * *

**AN: **Might need to up the rating for this one. Thoughts?


	5. Chapter 5

**It Works for Us**

**Chapter Five: A Professor's Office One**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

**Author's Note:** For those who are following this story, I've changed the rating to M for mentions of sexual situations. If that is not your cup of tea you can and probably should skip chapters 4, 6, and 10.

* * *

"I still can't believe you're going to teach potions," Harry said hands in his pockets as he spun on a boot heel taking in the apartments in the Dungeon that were now Theo's and by extension also Harry and Percy's new home.

"The bed is absolutely huge, it'll fit three with no problems and there's actually a lot of living space and a small private office Perce can work out of if he likes. I've already got special permission from McGonagall for you both to stay here with me during the school year and of course we'll stay in the Manor during vacations."

"It's a lot nicer in here than I expected, truthfully. Spacious sitting room with a fireplace, working kitchenette, private bathroom with a small swimming pool for a bath and a separate shower."

"Gryffindors," snorted Theo, "Just because Snape liked to creep people out by having floating things in jars all over his office doesn't mean that his private apartments were like that."

"Were these his private apartments?" asked Harry, wrinkling his nose at the thought.

Just because he had come to respect Snape didn't mean that he wanted to be living in the same rooms he'd used as a professor.

"Not really, things got shuffled around during the rebuilding of the castle, according to McGonagall she had the house elves remodel the staff room and living quarters and modernize the bathroom fixtures and things."

"Hn," grunted Harry, "What's this door?"

"Ah, that is the door to my new public office and the potion's store room."

Harry looked up at the mischievous tone and husky lilt to Theo's voice.

"What? I know that look Theodore Nott, what deliciously sinful but undoubtedly nasty scheme are you concocting in that twisty little brain of yours?"

"Well," drawled Theo, "I checked and apparently all the furniture in that office is the same."

Harry grimaced remembering hours spent toiling over lines in detention at the small desk in the corner with Snape breathing down his neck at the slightest provocation.

"So?"

"So don't you wanna have sex on Snape's desk?"


	6. Chapter 6

**It Works for Us**

**Chapter Six: A Professor's Office Two**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

Harry sighed, looking at his watch and noting that he still had another three hours to go before his target was likely to make an appearance. His back hurt and his legs had fallen asleep again, he was bored of counting the grains in the wood of the desk above his head and he was left with too much time to turn over the events of last week in his mind.

He'd known it was wrong when he'd finally given in to temptation and kissed Theo. He knew it was wrong when he let the Slytherin drag him into the restaurant bathroom and wank him senseless. He'd known he'd crossed an entirely different line when he booked a hotel room and let Theo fuck him.

They'd started in the elevator then moved to against the door, then again in the shower and then finally, before they'd left the next morning in the bed, spattering the cheap floral print duvet with embarrassing amounts of cum and probably disgusting some poor maid.

Harry's cock twitched to life at the memory and he scowled, shifting and adjusting himself in his pants, a wave of guilt swamping him.

He loved Percy. He really did, and their sex life wasn't bad, in fact it was downright active, but Theo was something else. Something Harry craved just as badly as he craved the cinnamon scent of Percy's sheets or the spread of his big long fingered hands over his ribs and hips.

Harry shifted on the worn carpet of Professor Yubinkokovitch's office trying to focus on his discomfort and guilt rather than his arousal.

Truthfully, he wanted to have his cake and eat it too. Percy's big hands, Theo's filthy creative mind. Theo coaxing Percy into sketchy but undeniably arousing situations. Percy's freckled thighs bracketing Theo's pale ones. A morning erection pressed against his ass and another against his stomach waking to the weight and warmth of the two people he'd come to want and cherish more than anyone else in his bed.

Theo's sharp-tongued remarks and almost childishly demanding nature. Percy's solidity and adorable nerdiness.

How could he possibly be expected choose? And now that he'd had a taste of both how could he possibly bear to give one up even if it was for the other?

He glanced at his watch again.

Two hours and forty-five minutes to go.

Fuck.


	7. Chapter 7

**It Works for Us**

**Chapter Seven: Apologies One**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

"Lord Nott sends his apologies," sighed Astoria Malfoy setting the card down in a small pile of other such cards and moving to open the next response.

"Again," growled her sister Daphne, "That Theo has a lot of nerve ignoring us like this."

"Well he has fallen in with Gryffindors," said Astoria with a delicate shrug, "Perhaps he just doesn't want to upset his partners."

"Partners," sneered Daphne, "More like sex toys. Theo always was easily led by his dick."

"Mm. I think Potter and Weasley are different," said Astoria.

"Don't tell me that pregnancy has made you a romantic Astoria, so unbecoming."

"Oh, hush. I'm simply saying that when I saw Percy Weasley in Diagon Alley last week he was wearing a ring with the Nott crest on it, and of course Potter has already had his little come out, pictures of that tattoo are still all over the Prophet and the gossip rags."

"It's unseemly, taking not one but two male lovers and then not even bothering to declare one a proper Consort. I heard they don't even intend to have children. So ends the Potter and the Nott line in one fell swoop! Not that Weasley has anything to worry about, their get are all ridiculously prolific. Ten years from now will see the better part of the Hogwarts first years with the surname Weasley, mark my words."

"It's none of our affair, Daphne. It is Theo's decision."

"I'm striking him from my guest list. This constant rejection is becoming intolerable."

"Mm. I'm going to start sending my invitations to Lord Potter. If I pester him enough he's bound to come and Theo won't let him walk into the snake-pit alone. Problem solved."

"Stooping to machinations now, Astoria? How tedious," scoffed Daphne.

"Just because I have an ounce of patience doesn't make me tedious, sister dearest," Astoria shot back, flicking her wand at her escritoire and penning the last minute invitation.

"Cetus," she called, the handsome eagle owl ruffled his feathers and then glided from his perch to the arm of Astoria's chair hooting softly, "Take this to Lord Potter please darling, and pester him thoroughly until you receive a reply."


	8. Chapter 8

**It Works for Us**

**Chapter Eight: Apologies Two**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

_'I slept with him. I'm falling for him. I love you. I'm sorry._'

Well, it was succinct and to the point, Percy would give Harry that much. He crumpled the note into a ball and then smoothed it out again. Damn Harry to hell and back anyway. How dare he say _that_ for the very first time in a note like _this_.

Their relationship was based around sex, in the beginning there had been no feelings involved but as time went by and Percy saw more of Harry, feelings had developed. He had only been made aware of them when Hermione had mentioned that she was sure she'd finally found the right guy for Harry and Harry mentioned that he was going on casual dates with Theodore Nott.

Jealousy had bubbled uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach every time Nott was mentioned, accompanied by a twinge of worry. Worry that he'd be thrown over for the younger, prettier, richer, and undoubtedly sexier and more experienced man. In fact, really the only thing he didn't have going for him, on paper at least, was his tenure in Slytherin house.

Still Percy had been comforted by the knowledge that Harry and Nott weren't sleeping together, they went to dinner and saw muggle movies and went walking in the park and visited the London Museum of Magical History together and did other very traditional date type things but they didn't kiss, and Harry always spent his nights in Percy's bed.

They hadn't spoken about commitments, neither was technically forbidden from seeing other people or taking other partners, but Harry seemed to be just as aware of the line he'd crossed as Percy. It also seemed like he might have feelings for Percy, the same kind of feelings Percy had for him.

Shoving the note into his pants pocket, he shrugged out of his robes and into a jacket Harry had bought for him Christmas last.

Harry lived in a small flat in muggle London, he would go there tonight and they would have a proper talk about this. Percy needed to at least know for sure whether Harry intending to leave him for Nott.

The loud snap upon his arrival on Harry's street was a testament to his tumultuous feelings and Percy let out an annoyed huff. He didn't like feeling this ruffled and out of control. This was why he didn't date in the first place, engaged feelings were far too much trouble, Penelope Clearwater had, at the very least, taught him that and how to kiss properly.

Percy took the stairs up to Harry's flat two at a time only to find an unfamiliar person leaning against the rail outside Harry's door.

He was short, a full inch shorter than Harry and that was saying something, and lithe and dressed in an expensive pair of black trousers, dragon hide boots and a soft looking black sweater. His hair was a little long and a riotous mop of brown curls that framed pale aristocratic features. His eyes locked on to Percy before he could decide whether he wanted to reveal himself or not and they were a shockingly light, ice-touched blue.

There was only one person this could be.

"So," drawled the Slytherin, leaning back further against the rail his back arching in an unconsciously sensual motion, "You would be the other man. A Weasley are you? I wasn't expecting that."

"Technically speaking Lord Nott, you would be the other man."

He snorted.

"Touché," he admitted, "Well, according to the note I received our dearest Harry has skipped town on a job. Gryffindor my bloody arse."

"Harry let's his handler choose his jobs so I suspect the timing was simply a fortunate happenstance, Lord Nott. I'd thank you not to impugn his honor or bravery."

"Hn."

Nott took a few steps and closed the distance between them, sizing Percy up with those piercing eyes. Percy remained still, forcing himself to relax, and allowed the examination, wondering all the while at what Nott saw when he looked at him.

"Well, you have something I want and I'm not willing to give it up without a fight, that being said I think you and I should talk," he said finally crossing his arms over his chest, "Perhaps we can reach some sort of…compromise."

He wrinkled his nose cutely at the thought.

"Very well, there is a café around the corner if that is agreeable."

"Ah, I know the one you're talking about. I like their fruit tarts."

"By all means Lord Nott, precede me," said Percy with a nod.

Nott slid past him without a backward glance.

"No more of this Lord Nott business," he called over his shoulder, "Our cocks have been up the same ass after all, so at this point I think you might as well call me Theo."


	9. Chapter 9

**It Works for Us**

**Chapter Nine: Selfish Reasons One**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

"Where—" Harry groaned, slumping back into the pillows.

The room was dark and warm and the bed beneath him was soft and smelled faintly of orchids, everywhere ached from his muscles right down to his bones, his throat felt raw and quite frankly recalling the state of things the last time he was conscious he was very surprised to be alive.

"We're in one of the Nott family properties in Budapest."

"Perce, what—"

"Don't try to talk just yet. I know it hurts, you were screaming yourself bloody," Percy admonished.

"You've been asleep for over a week now," came a voice on his left.

_Theo._

Harry reached out a hand and smoothed it over the curve of a bare shoulder, turning his head slightly he could just make out the smaller man's silhouette in the faint moonlight shining through the window. He could tell by the husk in his voice that he'd been sleeping.

"And if anybody asks, you faked your own death and were not in fact revived by highly dangerous illegal dark rituals."

"Honestly, we thought you wouldn't pull through for a bit," murmured Percy.

"Should have known better," Harry croaked reaching out his other hand and twining through Percy's hair, "I don't die when I don't have to. I'm selfish like that."

"I for one am glad of that," said Theo, carefully tracing Harry's features with the pads of his fingers.

"Me too," said Percy choking back tears of relief, he'd cried enough the past week, he was tired of crying.

"Me too," said Harry, "Gods, I love you both."

"I thought we said not to talk," Theo scolded, "And let me tell you Harry James Potter, don't think that you can just up and die whenever you feel like it because next time I will drag you back to life and kill you myself and then do it again so that Perce can have a turn. Got it?"

Harry chuckled and kissed the back of Theo's hand, "Got it."

* * *

**AN: **This was meant to be the second last chapter, but then I got a few comments in reviews and realized that this story needs at least one more. Then I thought, well, if the reviewers/followers have anything they want to see I would be happy to write it since I've kinda fallen in love with this threesome even though the idea for this drabble set sprang out of thin air and caught me completely by surprise.

Please leave a review and let me know what you guys think.

Thanks also to everybody who took the time to read, review, follow, alert and or favorite. You guys rock! Special thanks to **WereBunny87** who was the first to review every single chapter! You're amazing!


	10. Chapter 10

**It Works for Us**

**Chapter Ten: Selfish Reasons Two**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

Percy felt a guilty sort of satisfaction sweep through him whenever he kissed Theodore Nott. They'd met three times since Harry had left for Siberia and the longer the younger man was away the angrier and more betrayed Percy felt.

It didn't help that Nott was inherently tempting and goaded Percy at every turn, whether it was with a suggestive comment or a teasing touch. The lithe little Slytherin also had no concept of shame as evidenced by the way he'd let himself into Percy's flat in Diagon Alley at five o'clock in the bloody morning and woken him up with a hot open mouthed kiss…around the head of his cock.

"Come on Percy, fuck me, you know you want to. You know I want to."

Yes. Percy did know both those things, they were making themselves perfectly obvious after all. Theo had come into Percy's bed without any pants and a very pretty sex flush was creeping down his pale thighs as he fingered himself, his face buried in the juncture between Percy's left leg and his crotch, the vibrations of his occasional moan sending jolts of sensation rippling through Percy's erection.

Sensing his resolve wavering Theo started chanting it in time with the thrusts of his fingers.

"Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me."

His cock was dripping onto Percy's knee, wet and hot and gratifyingly filthy.

Percy almost physically felt it when his restraint snapped.

Fuck it. He wanted this, and besides, he wanted Harry to know what it felt like to know that the person you liked, that the person you loved, was having sex with someone else. Whether that person was Theo or Percy didn't especially matter at this point.

"You talk too much," the redhead panted tangling a hand roughly in Theo's curly hair and nudging at his full lower lip with the head of his cock, "Suck."

Theo complied with a wicked grin and a playful lick before swallowing the whole of Percy's length in one practiced motion.

Merlin but he was good at that. Percy's hips bucked off the mattress as he shoved himself deeper into Theo's mouth. He was being too rough and probably suffocating him but Percy ignored the twinge of guilt he felt about that as well. Today he was going to be selfish.

* * *

**AN: **Yep, not the end. This would have been a terrible ending chappie. Thanks to all who reviewed, alerted, and faved!


	11. Chapter 11

**It Works for Us**

**Chapter Eleven: Decisions One**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

The café was nearly deserted because of the rain and Maddie, the University of London second year with a crush on Perce, had treated the table to a tray of the sweets they weren't able to sell from the morning.

Harry checked his watch. Percy was late.

They'd arranged this meeting through intermediaries. As in Harry had invited Ginny to play Quidditch with him and had asked her to pass the message to Percy, she'd apparently passed the task on to George, since the two lived fairly close to each other in Diagon Alley. Knowing this Harry thought it wasn't all that surprising that Percy was late.

Or it could be that he was getting stood up. He would deserve it. No, Harry shook his head in silent rueful denial, Percy would definitely want to refuse to listen to his apology in person and glare pompously down his nose at him.

A smile twitched briefly at the corner of Harry's lips at the thought and with a sigh he took another long swig of coffee.

At quarter past Percy staggered in. His eyes were underlined with dark purple bags and he'd forgone his usual glasses for the spare set he kept on the table in the entrance way. Under a raincoat that was drenched and without even a hint of a water repelling charm about it he was dressed in a wrinkled blue striped shirt and a pair of slacks with a tear in the knee.

"Percy you look terrible," said Harry rising and moving to help his, possibly ex, lover remove his coat out of habit.

"I'm fine, and I can get my own coat off thank you."

"Are you hungover?" Harry asked incredulously dropping back down into his seat.

"Unfortunately yes," growled Percy, sliding into the chair opposite Harry without ceremony.

"What happened?"

Percy fixed him with a pointed look. It was a look that all but screamed: what do you think happened you pathetic lack-wit?

"Ah, yes, I guess I deserved that."

Percy heaved a sigh and slumped further into his seat taking off his glasses and setting them carelessly on the table and rubbing at his temples.

"No, I'm sorry, it's your damn fault but it's also my own damn fault so…"

"Yeah, I guess we should talk about that."

"We should, starting with who the hell confesses to cheating on and being in love with a person in the same note?"

"Er—I'm sorry that wasn't terribly tactful of me."

"No it bloody well was not!" said Percy stabbing a finger in Harry's direction, "You and I by extension are the most ridiculous pair of fools, because I love you too, or at least I thought I did, and I feel like if we'd just said something instead of—we wouldn't be in this mess!"

A tiny bit of hope fluttered in Harry's chest. Percy loved him back. Maybe everything could work out.

"Perce—"

"I think we should stop seeing each other," said Percy suddenly in a calmer voice.

"Perce—"

"I slept with Theo while you were in Siberia," the redhead said bluntly.

The hope died an ugly death overwhelmed by the sudden surge of bitterness, sadness, and jealously that rushed to curl up in a thorny knot in his gut.

"How did you two—"

Harry wasn't even sure what he was asking at this point but that didn't seem to matter to Percy who had his eyes fixed on the ugly floral print wallpaper behind his head and was soldiering on in a would-be-calm sort of voice.

"I happened to run into him when I came to talk to you and we got to talking, I'm not quite sure how the talking led to kissing but I'd imagine you know all too well how Theo can be."

Harry did know, Theo could seduce rocks by doing nothing more strenuous than being himself.

"I wanted you to feel what I felt when I found out you'd slept with him. I thought, at the time that there would be some sense of vindication, but all I feel is sick to my stomach. We're supposed to love each other but, people who love each other don't _hurt_ each other like this."

"Actually I'm pretty sure they do," laughed Harry bitterly, "I'm pretty sure they do it all the time. It broke me and Gin, after all, loving each other. But this is different, with you is different. We can make this work, somehow. I can accept that you and Theo fucked, I fucked up first so I have no right to throw stones. Perce, just—"

Percy just shook his head.

"I can't," he said, "I can't even look at myself in the mirror, I need time. We, need time."

"Alright," Harry said, "If that's what you want."

"It is."

Harry nodded.

"There's a ring of fairy dust smugglers in Lithuania that is upsetting the local vampires. They've asked me to infiltrate the ring and bring it down from the inside. I'll be firmly out of contact for at least a month."

Percy ignored the bubbling of worry and just nodded.

"That will be acceptable."

"I'll let Molly know when I'm back in town and you can decide then if you want to get in touch with me, or not."

"What about Theo?" asked Percy, forcing the words out.

"I think we've toyed with his feelings enough, don't you?"

"You said you were falling for him."

Harry shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. I just want you both to be happy and I think the best way to do that is to get as far away from you as humanly possible for the moment."

To that end Harry stood and shrugged into his jacket, dropping enough money on the table from his coffee, the sweets, a generous tip and whatever Percy wanted to eat or drink.

"Goodbye Perce."

"Goodbye," Percy echoed hollowly long after Harry had gone.

* * *

**AN:** Okay so, welcome to the extension! This is part one of the two part explanation on how the threesome came to be! Please excuse the angsting. After I finish writing Decisions Two, I will be officially out of my ideas but will keep the story listed as incomplete in order to comply with any requests from readers and/or to serve as a dumping ground for any future H/P/T blurbs.


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